Community Steps Up to Help Baltimore’s ‘Hero Mom’ After Fire

The mother who got national attention for pulling her son back from the riots in Baltimore last year was back in the headlines this week, but this time she offered a different kind of plea.

Toya Graham and her five children were left homeless following a fire at the family’s home. Once again, she and her son Michael were on camera. Only this time, she was explaining how Michael accidentally started a kitchen fire instead of explaining why she had to get him out of a confrontation with police. The family is staying in a hotel.

The story circulated widely, and the family started a GoFundMe . It’s been met with a huge outpouring.

As of Wednesday afternoon, the campaign raised $33,922. That’s way above the $5,000 goal that was initially set.

“I want to say thank you, because at the end of the day, you know that it’s good people out there,” Graham told Fox45, who initially broke the story.